


The Monkey Princess

by worldtravellingfly



Series: Self Inserts [9]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Gen, Get To Know The Sarutobi, Mental Health Issues, Ninja, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Teen Pregnancy, Past Underage Sex, Psychological Trauma, Second Shinobi War, Self-Insert, Yamanaka Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-06 13:45:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17940827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worldtravellingfly/pseuds/worldtravellingfly
Summary: Sarutobi Tomomi is the niece of Sarutobi Hiruzen, and absolutely not ready for what that entails. Konoha seen through the eyes of a clan kid that doesn't want to be a ninja if at all possible.(This ties in with Hear the Silence, but it doesn't overlap much. With full permission from EmptySurface!)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hear the Silence](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15406896) by [EmptySurface](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmptySurface/pseuds/EmptySurface). 



> Just to get it out of the way first: Empty gave me full permission to write this. We were living together at the time and Hear the Silence and this fic started life around the same time. They tie in with each other, but the overlap will be minimal. So don't expect Kyo to pop up every other page. ;) They just take place in the same universe.
> 
> That said, I hope you'll enjoy getting to know Tomomi!

She was watching them out of the corner of her eyes, eavesdropping as best she could on their conversation. Not that she understood all of the words, or what they meant for her, but she  _knew_ it was something important.

 

Her mother talking to her uncle, the clan head, in  _that_ way was never about good news.

 

The woman was hunched over a bit, as much as her posture allowed, and sending her concerned glances every few seconds.

 

"Kazue-chan, I think it's best to get concrete information before we worry ourselves sick. The Yamanaka would just give her a check-up. Wouldn't it be better to be certain and figure out a plan of attack than to avoid the issue forever?" Uncle pointed out, keeping his tone calm and pleasant.

 

Her mother straightened her posture, looking from her uncle to her and back.

 

She barely met the other woman's gaze.

 

"Yes. I believe you're right. Thank you, Uncle."

 

"You're not the only one who worries about Tomomi-chan," he admitted softly, just loud enough both could hear.

 

"I'll make an appointment with them then," her mother said, rubbing a hand over her neck.

 

"I've taken the liberty to secure a promise from Inoki-dono that you are welcome to stop by at any time."

 

Uncle really must have been worried then. If he'd taken the time out of his busy schedule to talk to another clan head on a private matter, despite the fact that he was trying to lead a village and clean up the mess from the War...

 

Her mother signed something at Uncle, but there was a small smile on her face. Which didn't quite reach her eyes.

 

"Thank you, Uncle."

 

Uncle just squeezed her mother's arm gently.

 

He excused himself, leaving the room with a gentle goodbye for his niece's daughter.

 

Her mother moved over to where she was sitting, ostensibly trying to read.

 

The woman knelt down so that she was closer to her size, smiling a bit too. "Tomi-chan, how do you feel about going on a trip with Kaa-san?"

 

She looked up from her picture book (the  _disgrace_ !) and studied her mother for a long moment, before accepting the offered hug.

 

This woman had never hurt her before, which is what she was banking on.

 

Her mother ran a hand through her long hair and then adjusted her grip, before lifting her small body from the tatami mat.

 

"We'll go see the Yamanaka. They have very nice flowers and all of them have blond hair."

 

In reply, she just nodded into her mother's green vest. The Yamanaka sounded nice, but why would they be able to help if they just looked pretty and had nice flowers?

 

They didn't talk as they left the house, but her mother continued to run a hand through her hair which ended up lingering over her pulse every so often.

 

"Do you want to fly with me?" Her mother asked, as they'd exited the compound.

 

A spark of excitement lit inside of her. This time she nodded much more eagerly, beaming at her caretaker.

 

'Flying' with her mother was  _fun_ .

 

The woman made sure she had her in a good position and leapt onto one of the tall buildings, running so fast that the wind was whistling in her ears.

 

She'd love to stretch out her arms, to feel the air resistance and to pretend she was actually flying, but there was a nagging fear of falling which kept her from it.

 

A much too short moment later, they landed in front of another clan compound.

The first thing she noticed was that the walls surrounding it were a bright, cheerful yellow. A purple gate led inside.

 

But most of all, a faint smell of flowers tickled her nose.

 

Her mother approached the two blond, ponytailed guards purposefully, but still remained respectful.

 

They were very pretty, she thought, almost missing the brief exchange between them and her mother.

 

"Sarutobi Kazue and Tomomi, here for a check-up."

 

The guard nodded after a moment, allowing them inside the compound.

 

"Inoki-sama is in the gardens."

 

"Thank you, Yamanaka-san."

 

Her mother still kept a tight grip on her, which was strangely comforting. They'd never been here before.

 

She tried to take in everything at once, from the mostly blond, ponytailed people milling around to the many flowers swaying lightly in the breeze.

 

Yet another blond, ponytailed man approached them. He wasn't smiling, but neither was he frowning and ordering them out of the compound. He had light-blue eyes, which looked a bit strange without a discernible pupil.

 

"Sarutobi-san, please follow me."

 

Her mother just nodded, doing as he told her to.

 

The man led them to a secluded spot in the gardens, surrounded by swaying bamboo. A fountain was hidden somewhere, providing a nice, soothing background noise.

 

Her mother and the man sat down, so she decided to follow suit. Taking a seat in her mother's lap.

 

"Hokage-sama mentioned that you were concerned about your daughter," Yamanaka Inoki, presumably, said, eyes taking the both of them in.

 

She felt very small under his gaze, shrinking back a bit, closer to her mother.

 

"Yes. She doesn't talk, always positioning herself so that she can watch the adults. She is very aware of every move by any of us, especially if she doesn't remember meeting them before. She doesn't play with the other children, just sits and watches or plays by herself."

 

The man didn't seem to be judging either of them, which was a big plus on his brownie point account.

 

"What do you think, Tomomi-chan? You can nod or shake your head no if you don't feel comfortable speaking."

 

So he suspected that she could understand them.

 

She nodded, having to admit that her mother's words were unfortunately true. She didn't quite know why or how she'd become like this, but her mother had summarized her behavior accurately.

 

"Tomomi-chan, I want to check something. To do that, I will have to use my chakra. I'm going to put my hand on your head, so that my chakra can enter the chakra gate closest to your brain. Do you understand?"

 

She nodded cautiously, slowly.

 

"Good. Your Kaa-san is going to keep holding you if you want."

 

Another nod.

 

Her eyes tracked the extremely slow movement of his hand as he reached out to her.

 

His fingers rested on her forehead for a moment, allowing her to get used to the touch. The Yamanaka's hands had strange callouses and were rougher than she'd expected.

 

"Ready?"

 

She nodded.

 

Then he did  _something_ and they were suddenly standing in a room with dimmed lights. It reminded her a bit of her first apartment from Before: a small room with one window (which wasn't showing anything except darkness). 

 

She could barely make out the shadows indicating where everything was.

 

But then, one after another, memories popped up. Simultaneously before them and within her mind.

 

At first, there wasn't anything too painful. Just her Before self playing with the dogs: scratching Gaia's cheek because she'd always had that funny reaction, sharing her bed with the Staffordshire Terrier who occasionally farted in his sleep, and all the others.

 

Cuddling on the couch with her best friend, talking about stories they were writing.

 

Cooking and laughing, or listening to music.

 

The memories came quicker and quicker, jumping back further.

 

Showing everything. Mercilessly.

 

Including her mental breakdown when she was only eighteen years old and suffering from burnout syndrome/depression. She'd not been able to leave her bed throughout the day, sometimes not even for food, even though she'd usually scavenged a few bites from the fridge at night.

 

It wasn't exactly nice to see her Before self with stringy, greasy hair, dressed in dirty pajamas and an old, faded bathrobe, which was beginning to fall apart.

 

However, it finally managed to get a reaction from her.

 

Panic. Utter, complete panic. Gasping for breath, crouching on the floor, rubbing her chest and throat panic. Nausea was rolling in her stomach, bile rising up her throat, triggering convulsive swallowing.

 

She'd fought so, so hard to get out of that hole.

 

And now this stranger was getting to see her at her worst.

 

The memories stopped for a moment. Yamanaka crouched down in front of her, examining her face with an unreadable (to her) expression. But there was a gentle gleam in his eyes, or maybe she was only imagining that.

 

"Breathe," he told her, his tone a mix between stern and empathetic, "breathe."

 

Slowly, bit by bit, that tight knot in her chest unraveled, allowing her to take deep breaths again.

 

They went through the rest of them, but nothing touched her as much or as deeply as the memories of her breakdown.

 

Eventually, she became aware of herself in the Now body. Her mother was holding her in a tight grip, although one hand was rubbing her back in an effort to calm her down.

 

The woman's eyes were boring into the blond man's, cooler than she was used to seeing from her mother.

 

"Kazue-san," the man began, "your daughter carries the memories of what appears to be a former life. She is heavily disassociating herself from this reality, meaning that she believes all of us to be not real, a hallucination."

 

Her mother swallowed hard, but otherwise she didn't react outwardly. Not that her supposed daughter could see much in her current position.

 

"So, this has nothing to do with some sort of incident while I was out of the village?"

 

The Yamanaka shook his head. "No. Tomomi-chan is simply not coping very well with the shock of becoming aware of her old life. She is so wary of adults, particularly strangers to her, due to childhood trauma. Her first incarnation's parents did not treat her as they should have."

 

"What do you recommend we do?"

 

The man considered both females for a long moment. "I suggest regular therapy until at least the disassociation is under control. Continue to treat her as you have, Kazue-san, and provide her with the anchor Tomomi-chan needs. Perhaps involve Hokage-sama as well, at least when possible. Tomomi-chan seems to trust him, to a degree."

 

That was news to her.

 

Uncle was nice, although she didn't understand why he chose to wear a long, white tent of a dress or wore that strange, yet matching straw hat. Or why people outside the compound called him 'Hokage-sama'.

 

"Give her time to find herself. She is quite intelligent and I can tell you confidently that here is no deficiency to be found in her mind. However, due to her difficult past, Tomomi-chan is perhaps a bit more - fragile."

 

"As long as she stops being a perfect living doll, I'm content," the woman who was her mother told the Yamanaka without hesitation.

 

Then, the woman turned her around, so they could see eye to eye.

 

"You are my daughter now, Tomomi-chan, and I love you. No matter who you may have been in a previous life, I am your mother in this one. I will protect you as much as I'm able, and I swear I will decimate anyone who dares to harm you. I promise to keep you as safe as I can."

 

She thought her new mother's words over. They sounded genuine enough. In the end, they'd see if this promise would be kept.

 

Her old mother had also promised never to harm her, but she could remember clearly being thrown to the floor, hit, kicked, and crying bitterly at the injustice of it all.

 

Promises were words. And words, to her, were never as telling as actions.

 

Nevertheless, she nodded.

 

Her mother smiled, which looked equal parts relieved and upset.

 

"Do remember that Tomomi-chan is still only a child," Yamanaka said, diverting the woman's attention away from her daughter. "Despite her memories, she has the mind and attitude of a three-and-a-half-year-old. Once she recedes from her shell, you should be prepared for all the regular problems this age group presents."

 

The woman nodded once, barking a sharp "hai" at the same time. "Thank you very much for your help, Yamanaka-sama."

 

"You're welcome, both of you. Have Tomomi-chan back here tomorrow for her first therapy session."

 

"Yes, sir!"

 

The man's lips twitched a bit, likely in amusement.

 

They, meaning her mother, said their goodbyes and left the cheerfully yellow and purple clan to their own devices.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tomomi grows. Learns. Things are happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No copyright infringement intended.

-2-

 

Her first therapy session began as soon as Uncle and her mother had reached some sort of compromise in regard to her treatment.

 

Yamanaka-san had taken on her case, although she'd not yet figured out why. Possibly because he was curious. Possibly because he wanted to earn Uncle's favor.

 

The first session set the precedent for the rest of them.

 

Her mother always brought her to her therapist if she was around, otherwise it was her Cousin Ren, who'd become a medical ninja and was thus stationed within the village more often than not.

 

Once there, the Yamanaka head welcomed them only a few steps into the compound, leading the way to a sheltered area in the extensive gardens.

 

Here, Cousin Ren or her mother would leave her with the older shinobi, so it was just the two of them.

 

Yamanaka-san would use some sort of secrecy jutsu, to make sure she could speak openly. Without having to fear repercussions.

 

"Tomomi-chan, how do you feel?"

 

She just gave him an unimpressed look.

 

Since she refused to talk with him about her passed life, and he was patient enough to wait her out, they'd sit in silence for some time.

 

Until she gave in, eventually.

 

While she was busy with the clan head, her mother usually had her own Yamanaka to talk to; mostly about what she felt after finding out that her daughter had been reincarnated from a previous life.

 

-0-

 

It took three weeks of daily therapy until she accepted the name Tomomi as her own.

 

-0-

 

Two additional months until she could look into a mirror and think:  _that's me_ . 

 

-0-

 

Kaa-san had been told to brush her daughter's hair in front of a mirror every morning and every night if she was in the village, so Tomomi could acclimatize to her appearance and her mother's presence simultaneously.

 

They looked very alike to each other, one of the first differences Tomomi noticed from Before. (She hadn't resembled either of her Before parents all that closely in her own opinion.)

 

Kaa-san had long, dark hair that reached down to her waist, and warm, brown eyes. (Which her daughter had inherited.) She was very tan, although all members of their family shared that trait. And despite being an adult, she seemed  _tiny_ .

 

At least compared to what Tomomi could remember of her own height from Before.

 

Tomomi herself was much paler than her Kaa-san, although she had inherited the rest of her coloring. Her own hair was a bit messier and shorter than her mother's; it only reached down to her shoulders.

 

She liked sitting in her mother's lap on the floor in front of the tall mirror one of her 'Aunties' had gifted them once the Yamanaka's recommendation had become known throughout the clan.

 

Kaa-san's embrace made Tomomi feel warm and cared-for, without having to fight down that niggling fear in the back of her mind telling her to watch out for the woman's hands.

 

"...and then Cousin Ren fell into the pond."

 

Both mother and daughter giggled at that image.

 

A short while later, Tomomi gathered her courage and asked a question which had been burning with curiosity at the back of her mind for a few days now: "Kaa-san, where is my father?"

 

Her mouth awkwardly formed the words, not used to speaking.  _Yet_ . 

 

Kaa-san stopped what she was doing, placing the brush aside and turning her around instead.

 

A moment later, Tomomi was squeezed half to death in a Mama Bear (TM) hug.

 

"You said Kaa-san! My baby spoke!"

 

Her mother looked so happy and  _proud._

 

Tomomi pressed herself closer to Kaa-san's chest, putting her own arms around her neck, closing her eyes. Despite everything she'd been made to endure Before, in both lives, Tomomi  _loved_ hugs.

 

Eventually, they separated enough so that Tomomi could look at her mother's face.

 

Kaa-san placed her onto her knees, but kept her arms around her in a loose embrace. "Your father was a good man, but he's gone to be with his ancestors now."

 

Since her experience with fathers was even  _worse_ than mothers, Tomomi wasn't exactly overwhelmed by grief. A bit disappointed, yes, since she'd been hoping secretly that he'd turn out to be just as awesome as her mother, but she'd live.

 

Having one parent who genuinely and unconditionally loved her was more than she could've asked for.

 

"Okay," was all she said, hugging her Kaa-san.

 

"Do you want to play a nice trick on Uncle?" Said woman asked, seemingly apropos of nothing.

 

Tomomi tilted her head a bit, frowning slightly. "What trick?"

 

Her mother beamed with pride and mischief.

 

-0-

 

Kaa-san burst into Uncle's study, clutching Tomomi against her torso like a lifeline. She'd made very sure to ruffle her hair and hint at tears beforehand too.

 

"Uncle!"

 

The poor, startled man jumped out of his chair. "Is something wrong with Tomomi-chan?" He asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

 

"Look!"

 

Both adults turned to the almost four-year-old in the room.

 

Tomomi peeked out from behind the curtain of her mother's hair. "Uncle!" She cried happily, copying her mother’s tone as best as she could, and held out her arms in his direction in the universal demand for hugs.

 

Uncle looked like someone hit him in the face with a fish, but only for a moment.

 

Then she was cradled gently in his arms. With a happy sigh, Tomomi cuddled into his body as best as she could, considering the armor he was wearing under that tent-dress.

 

A calloused hand was running through her hair, soothing her even further.

 

"Love you, uncle," she muttered before dropping off completely.

 

Hey, it had been a long day. She was almost four years old and she needed the sleep.

 

Kaa-san said so.

 

-0-

 

Two weeks later, Uncle visited their rooms after lunch. He had changed out of his dress-like garment, wearing a black uniform with old-fashioned armor.

 

Auntie Biwako entered with a tray of tea, smiling gently at the three of them.

 

After everyone had been poured a cup, the adults all turned to Tomomi.

 

"Auntie and Uncle are here because you will turn four soon," Kaa-san began in a serious tone, "which means if you want to follow in my footsteps, you'll have to start training before your birthday."

 

Tomomi frowned as she tried to understand why they were here. "Follow in your footsteps?"

 

"To become a kunoichi like Kaa-san and Auntie Biwako," her mother explained.

 

Uncle leaned forward, catching Tomomi's attention. "You have a choice," he emphasized the last word. "To become a kunoichi, you will have to attend the Academy along with the other children. You'll be sent on missions like your Kaa-san and the rest of the active nin in the clan. If you don't wish to become a kunoichi, you'll receive private tutors to learn the basics required of a civilian of your station."

 

Tomomi's frown deepened. Her thoughts raced. She'd thought she'd recognized the people, it'd been niggling at the back of her mind for a while now, but this was the first time she  _fully_ realized where exactly she was. 

 

This was  _Naruto_ . Only it would be  _ages_ until he'd be born, considering how young the Sandaime looked.

 

Not the Sandaime, her  _Uncle_ .

 

Shaking off her inner monologue, Tomomi tried to focus on the important matter at hand: her decision. Did she want to become a kunoichi and fight in a war or two? (If she managed to survive the Academy?) What would happen if she didn't become a kunoichi?

 

That halted her thoughts for a moment. Everything she'd read Before had been about people being reborn and becoming ninja because they were either pressured into it by their circumstances or joined up by choice. One or two stories had been about refusing to join, only the protagonist hadn't been born to a shinobi clan, much less as the _Sandaime_ _Hokage's_ sort-of-niece. 

 

Was she strong enough to become a kunoichi? Was she stable enough to endure the mental stress that came with the job? Without going off the deep end?

 

Tomomi swallowed. The answer to that was  _no_ , she didn't think so. She'd not be able to endure all the loss and hardship. 

 

It would disappoint her family, especially her mother.

 

But Tomomi knew herself enough to be certain.

 

"If I don't become a kunoichi, could I still help the village, Uncle?" She asked softly, but decidedly. Looking straight into the man's eyes too.

 

The adults exchanged looks, no one saying anything.

 

Uncle took a sip of his tea, examining her over the rim. "There are ways, yes."

 

That took a load off of her shoulders. "I don't think I'm strong enough to become a kunoichi like Auntie or Kaa-san," Tomomi explained quietly, "but I don't want to be useless either."

 

That earned her a tight hug from first her mother, then from Auntie Biwako.

 

Uncle smiled at her gently. "I think you don't realize quite how strong you are, Tomi-chan, but I accept your decision. I'll have a tutor ready for you in a few weeks. And, dear," he paused for dramatic effect or emphasis, "you will  _never_ be useless or a burden. Even if you decided to stay home and help out around the compound only."

 

Tomomi smiled, although it may have been a bit wobbly around the edges. Okay, she was trying hard not to cry, but  _details_ . There were more important things going on.

 

She was finally going to start reading and writing again!  _Finally_ !

 

Auntie Biwako pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Your aunties and I will help out with your education as well, sweet one. Just you wait, Auntie Moriko'll have you wearing the nicest kimono in no time flat. And Auntie Yuuko is going to have you dancing all the traditional dances..."

 

Even though Auntie Biwako went on, listing all the different things her other aunties had apparently been burning to teach her for  _years_ now, Tomomi wasn't listening anymore. 

 

Instead she was looking at her mother, trying to figure out if her Kaa-san was very disappointed with her decision. But the woman's poker face was too good for her to tell.

 

Which may have been a hint.

 

-0-

 

Two weeks after that talk, Tomomi found herself seated opposite from a young Hyuuga. She looked rather stern and only slightly younger than her mother.

 

Which, now that she thought of it, reminded her - when exactly was her mother's birthday?

 

"Sarutobi-hime, Hokage-sama entrusted your education to me. We will go over court etiquette, classical poetry a person of your station is expected to know, and you shall learn calligraphy from me. Your relatives have assured me that they will teach you the classical dances, musical instruments, and flower arrangements. Whenever you leave the Sarutobi compound, you will be accompanied by me."

 

Tomomi bowed, hoping she hadn't already gotten on the woman's bad side.

 

"You will address me as Hyuuga-san or Haruka-san."

 

"Yes, Hyuuga-san."

 

The regal woman (or teen?) nodded, before delving right into her first lesson: learning how to write Hiragana.

 

By the end of the day, Tomomi felt like her brain was on fire. It was a good feeling though, because that meant she was actually learning new things.

 

-0-

 

After a week filled with lessons, Tomomi woke up to the gentle nudges of her mother.

 

"Happy fourth birthday, Tomi-chan," the woman whispered, smiling at her daughter.

 

"Thank you," the girl in question replied before she realized what her Kaa-san had actually said. "It's my birthday?"

 

Excitement crashed over her, like waves breaking on the beach.

 

"Yes. Did you forget?" Kaa-san sounded so amused.

 

Tomomi grinned broadly. "I'm four?"

 

"You are. And I know for a fact that everyone is downstairs waiting for you with breakfast." Her mother gave her a conspiratorial look. "There might also be cake."

 

That did it. She jumped out of her bed, rushing over to the small bathroom.

 

Five minutes later, Tomomi presented herself to her mother, haphazardly dressed in a simple, white yukata with embroidered monkeys. In orange.

 

Kaa-san chuckled, but nodded anyway.

 

With a cheer, Tomomi ran ahead. She wanted cake and hugs!

 

Her mother's laughter followed after her.

 

Just before she reached the communal breakfast room, Tomomi slowed down, remembering at the last moment that she'd be scolded if any of her aunties caught her running.

 

Growing up sucked.

 

About thirty amused family members greeted her, a number of which were chuckling or outright laughing for some strange reason.

 

"Happy birthday, Tomomi-chan!" Her aunties chorused, rushing over to hug her.

 

For a second, said girl wished she'd waited for her mother. That way she could have hidden behind her leg.

 

What? Her aunties were  _scary_ . Awesome, but terrifyingly kickass. On their own. But as a group? 

 

Any rational human being would have tried to put something or someone between them.

 

Before she could flee, she was hugged to within an inch of her life, wandering from one woman's arms to another's. Without touching the ground.

 

Which was a new thing too, considering that most of her aunties weren't exactly spring chickens any longer. The majority had graying or white hair, wrinkles, scars, and memories of a time before there was a Konoha.

 

Then her savior appeared, in the form of Uncle.

 

"Ne, Tomomi-chan, how does it feel to be four whole years old?"

 

She settled down on his lap,  _beaming_ at the slice of cheesecake Uncle had placed in front of her. 

 

"Eh?" Was all she said, belatedly.

 

Her reaction caused more laughter and chuckles.

 

"Eat your cake, child," Uncle only replied, amusement clear in his voice.

 

Tomomi was 100% on board with that plan, digging in with a wooden spoon/knife mashup.

 

The adults were talking amongst themselves, adding a nice buzz to the background.

 

Once she had devoured her cake and a few bites of more traditional breakfast foods, Tomomi let her eyes wander over the assembled people. They were her family. Most of them looked like her too, with dark hair and dark eyes. Small build, tan skin.

 

A few of her aunties and one or two of her uncles had different colored hair or eyes, so some of her older cousins had a mix of both parents' traits.

 

There weren't any children her age, all of her younger cousins were at least four years older than her or babies.

 

In fact, almost all of her cousins seemed to be closer to her mother's age than her own.

 

"You're a bit quiet, dear. Is something wrong?" Uncle asked softly.

 

Tomomi shifted in his lap until she sat sideways and could see his face. "No. I liked my birthday breakfast."

 

"I'm sure the cake was tolerable as well?" He teased with a small grin.

 

"It was quite tolerable," Tomomi affected her best snobbish tone. She may or may not have modeled it after her tutor when she'd been dealing with a rather persistent admirer of Uncle's.

 

Uncle laughed. "Not good enough to tempt you into having a second slice? Or are you feeling sick?"

 

The last bit sounded almost worried.

 

Tomomi shook her head. "No, it was great. I'm just super full. Maybe I can have some more after my lessons?"

 

"Of course, dear."

 

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, both watching the usual breakfast drama.

 

"Hey, Uncle?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"When is Kaa-san's birthday?" Tomomi asked, snuggling a bit closer.

 

"In February."

 

"How old is she going to be?"

 

"Nineteen years old."

 

Huh. She hadn't expected that. Kaa-san seemed so much more mature, Tomomi had thought she was as old as Cousin Ren. (Who was going to turn twenty-five in a few days.)

 

"Will you help me get her a present, please?" Tomomi asked quietly.

 

Uncle smiled at her, then nodded.

 

-0-

 

The rest of her birthday went off without a hitch and life resumed normally once more. Well, what passed as  _normal_ in a shinobi clan. 

 

Tomomi only cared that she was allowed to learn and that there was always someone willing to spend time with her, even if it was just sitting in the same room, reading, or drinking tea together. (The hugs and cuddling she forced on various relatives didn't hurt either.)

 

As she progressed through her writing lessons, her tutor began to teach her traditional calligraphy, an apparently essential skill for the niece of the Hokage to know.

 

Aside from her tutor, most of her aunties were enjoying the opportunity to pass on their gathered bits of wisdom to another generation.  Only her  mother was keeping out of it, although she helped Tomomi practice as much as possible between missions.

 

However, that changed one day.

 

Tomomi had seen Kaa-san speak with Uncle in the tea room, although she'd not even attempted to eavesdrop on their conversation. Not with Hyuuga-san watching her every move like a hawk.

 

Kaa-san woke her one morning, gentle as always.

 

"Kaa-cha'?" Tomomi mumbled, rubbing at her eyes.

 

"Tomi-chan."

 

"Wha'?"

 

"My, you're particularly eloquent today, aren't you?" Kaa-san chuckled. "Come on, we've plans."

 

That was news to her. "We do?"

 

"Yes, dear. Wear your training gear."

 

With that bit of ominous advice, her mother left to get ready herself.

 

Tomomi hurried through her morning routine, slipping on an old shirt and shorts.

 

What was her mother planning to do with her that required training gear?

 

After some light breakfast, Tomomi slipped on her sandals and followed after her strangely excited mother.

 

Kaa-san ruffled her hair and then swung her up on her shoulders.

 

_Really, what's gotten into her today?_

 

In this fashion, they walked through the compound to the private Sarutobi training fields.

 

According to Cousin Shinzu, they were smaller than the regular training grounds, but much more protected from prying eyes.

 

Kaa-san plopped Tomomi down, onto the ground, and sat, cross-legged, next to her. "I'm sorry I've not helped train you like your Aunties and Cousin Ren," Kazue began, expression much more serious than before. "Kaa-chan was a bit blind."

 

Tomomi leaned over and gave her a hug. "That's okay. We can't all be Hyuuga."

 

That bit of often-heard wisdom earned her a laugh.

 

"I see you've been spending time with Uncle again," Kaa-san muttered, amusement lingering in her voice. "Now, I was a bit sad because I thought I couldn't train you to become a kunoichi like me."

 

Curious, Tomomi tilted her head. "What kind of kunoichi do you mean?"

 

"I'm an assassin/seduction specialist, sweet one, like my mother and her mother before that. We are trained to be sneaky and stealthy."

 

"Oh," Tomomi said, a little uncertain, "and you wanted me to learn your tricks?"

 

"Yes, I did. But I thought because you didn't want to go to the Academy, I'd not be able to. However, Uncle showed me that I was being an idiot. So, I'm going to teach you everything I learned from my mother and my own techniques. Maybe they'll come in handy in a few years," her voice trailed off thoughtfully.

 

Tomomi tilted her head a little further to the left, a small frown between her eyebrows. "How'd they help me when I'm old?"

 

Her mother smiled warmly, but here was an edge to it. "If you know how to seduce someone subtly, you'll notice it if someone's trying to do it to you. And before you're sixteen, I want you to tell me or Uncle whenever someone approaches you like that. Do you promise?"

 

"Yes, Kaa-san."

 

"Very well. Let's start with stretches."

 

And that's how Kaa-san got involved with her training for some future purpose. Although Tomomi was still not quite sure what she'd need assassin training for. Or seduction techniques, for that matter.

 

But she was spending more time with her mother and that was all she cared about.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? 
> 
> (also, this hasn't been edited since ca. 2017, sorry.)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Please feel free to follow me on tumblr for updates etc.


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